119th Congress (2025-2026)

HR 8207

Parental Bereavement Act of 2026

Introduced

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Official source

Chamber

House

Session

119th Congress (2025-2026)

Jurisdiction

US Congress

Bill overview

The Parental Bereavement Act of 2026 amends the Family and Medical Leave Act to provide eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave following the death of a son or daughter. It expands the definition of ‘son or daughter’ for leave purposes and introduces requirements for notice, certification, and scheduling of this leave. The bill also extends these provisions to civil service employees, aligning their leave benefits with those available to private sector employees.

Key provisions

Expands Family and Medical Leave Act to include leave due to the death of a son or daughter.
Establishes a 12-week unpaid leave period for this reason.
Requires employers to provide reasonable notice if the need for leave is foreseeable.
Allows employers to require a certification supporting a leave request.
Modifies scheduling requirements for intermittent or reduced leave.
Extends these provisions to civil service employees under Title 5 of the U.S. Code.

Who is affected

Employees of private sector companies
Civil service employees
Families of deceased children
Employers
Federal government agencies

Notable changes

Creates a new category of leave – ‘Family leave because of the death of a son or daughter’ – within the FMLA.
Extends the duration of leave for this reason to 12 months.
Requires certification of the leave request by the employer.

Positions across the country

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Arguments opposed

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Legislative history

2026-04-06House

Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

2026-04-06House

2026-04-06

Introduced in House

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Apr 6, 2026XMLView source

119th CONGRESS — 2d Session

H. R. 8207

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

A BILL

To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to provide leave because of the death of a son or daughter, and for other purposes.

1.Short title

This Act may be cited as the

Parental Bereavement Act of 2026

or the

Sarah Grace-Farley-Kluger-Barklage Act

2.Family leave because of the death of a son or daughter

(a)Son or daughterSection 101(12) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611(12)) is amended by—

(1)

redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), resepctively;

(2)

by striking , who is— and inserting the following:

(A)who is—

; and

(3)

in clause (ii), as so redesignated, by striking the period at the end and inserting

; or

(B)with respect to leave taken under section 102(a)(1)(G), who is any years of age.

(b)Family leave

(1)Entitlement to leave

Section 102(a)(1) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(G)

Because of the death of a son or daughter.

(2)Expiration of entitlement

Section 102(a)(2) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(a)(2)) is amended—

(A)

by striking under subparagraphs and inserting

under—

(A)subparagraphs

;

(B)

in subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking the period at the end and inserting

; and

(B)subparagraph (G) of paragraph (1) for a death of a son or daughter shall expire at the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date of such death.

(3)Requirements relating to leave

(A)Schedule

Section 102(b)(1) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(b)(1)) is amended by inserting after the third sentence the following new sentence: Leave under subsection (a)(1)(G) shall not be taken by an employee intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule unless the employee and the employer of the employee agree otherwise..

(B)Substitution of paid leave

Section 102(d)(2)(B) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(d)(2)(B)) is amended, in the first sentence, by striking (C) or (D) and inserting (C), (D), or (G).

(C)Notice

Section 102(e) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4)Notice for leave due to death of a son or daughter

In any case in which the necessity for leave under subsection (a)(1)(G) is foreseeable, the employee shall provide such notice to the employer as is reasonable and practicable.

(D)Spouses employed by same employer

Section 102(f)(1)(A) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2612(f)(1)(A)) is amended by striking subparagraph (A) or (B) and inserting subparagraph (A), (B), or (G).

(E)Certification requirements

Section 103 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2613) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(g)Certification related to the death of a son or daughter

An employer may require that a request for leave under section 102(a)(1)(G) be supported by a certification issued at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe. If the Secretary issues a regulation requiring such certification, the employee shall provide, in a timely manner, a copy of such certification to the employer.

(F)Failure to return from leave

Section 104(c) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2614(c)) is amended—

(i)

in paragraph (2)(B)(i), by inserting before the semicolon the following: , or a death that entitles the employee to leave under section 102(a)(1)(G); and

(ii)

in paragraph (3)(A)—

(I)

in the matter preceding clause (i), by inserting , or the death, before described;

(II)

in clause (ii), by striking or at the end;

(III)

by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (iv); and

(IV)

by inserting after clause (ii) the following:

(iii)

a certification that meets such requirements as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe, in the case of an employee unable to return to work because of a death specified in section 102(a)(1)(G); or

(G)Employees of local educational agencies

Section 108 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2618) is amended—

(i)

in subsection (c)(1)—

(I)

in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting after medical treatment the following: , or under section 102(a)(1)(G) that is foreseeable,; and

(II)

in subparagraph (A), by inserting after to exceed the following: (except in the case of leave under section 102(a)(1)(G));

(ii)

in subsection (c)(2), by striking section 102(e)(2) and inserting paragraphs (2) and (4) of section 102(e), as applicable; and

(iii)

in subsection (d), in paragraph (2) and (3), by striking or (C) each place it appears and inserting (C), or (G).

(c)Family leave for civil service employees

(1)Son or daughter

Section 6381(6) of title 5, United States Code, is amended—

(A)

by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively;

(B)

by striking , who is— and inserting the following:

(A)who is—

; and

(C)

in clause (ii), as so redesignated, by striking disability; and inserting

disability; or

(B)with respect to leave taken under section 6382(a)(1)(F), who is any years of age;

(2)Entitlement to leave

Section 6382(a)(1) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

(F)Because of the death of a son or daughter.

(3)Expiration of leaveSection 6382(a)(2) of such title is amended by—

(A)

striking under subparagraph and inserting

under—

(A)subparagraph

; and

(B)

in subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking the period at the end and inserting

; or

(B)subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) for a death of a son or daughter shall expire at the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date of such death.

(4)Requirements relating to leave

(A)Schedule

Section 6382(b)(1) of such title is amended by inserting after the third sentence the following new sentence: Leave under subsection (a)(1)(F) shall not be taken by an employee intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule unless the employee and the employing agency of the employee agree otherwise..

(B)Substitution of paid leave

Section 6382(d) of such title is amended, in the first sentence, by striking or (E) and inserting (E), or (F).

(C)Notice

Section 6382(e) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4)In any case in which the necessity for leave under subsection (a)(1)(F) is foreseeable, the employee shall provide such notice to the employing agency as is reasonable and practicable.

(D)Certification requirements

Section 6383 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

(g)An employing agency may require that a request for leave under section 6382(a)(1)(F) be supported by a certification issued at such time and in such manner as the Office of Personnel Management may by regulation prescribe. If the Office issues a regulation requiring such certification, the employee shall provide, in a timely manner, a copy of such certification to the employer.

HR 8207

Bill overview

Key provisions

Who is affected

Notable changes

Sponsors

Primary sponsor

Cosponsors

Positions across the country

Arguments in favor

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Bill text

Positions across the country